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(11) | EP 0 722 233 A3 |
(12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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(54) | Timing in a data communications network |
(57) A data communication network comprises a local clock (22) within a node (2) of the
network which may be synchronized and syntonized by any node in the network. Each
node contains a time packet detector (6) that detects and recognizes timing data packets
and produces a recognition signal. Each node has a time server (10) that includes
the local clock (22). The time server records the time of the recognition signal.
The recorded time is used for correcting the local clocks of the various nodes (2)
in the network. A transfer device such as a gateway, a bridge or a router may include
a time server and a time packet detector to correct for the transit time of a time
packet through such transfer device. The time packet detector (6) is connected at
the point of final encoding for transmission or recovery of the clock and data. |